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Canadian Junior A
The Beginning In reality, the CJHL received its start in 1970 when the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Canada Hockey League tore away from the major branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and became its own governing body (what would become the Canadian Hockey League). These "Major Junior" Leagues only competed against each other and did not include other Junior "A" leagues that were left behind. The Major Junior League also were permitted to exclusively compete for the Memorial Cup, a right given to all Junior "A" leagues prior to 1970. In May 1970, Frank McKinnon tabled a motion at the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association AGM to allow the remaining Junior "A" Leagues to compete at a national level for a national championship. The motion was granted and McKinnon and the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association donated the Manitoba Centennial Trophy to the new championship in honour of 100 years of ice hockey in Manitoba. Tier II Junior A (1970 to 1980) Tier II mirrored Memorial Cup play for the first eight years, east versus west, with only one change. The Thunder Bay seed came out of the east, not west. The West competed for the Abbott Cup while the East competed for the Hewitt-Dudley Memorial Trophy. In 1978 the CAHA expanded Tier II to three regions, be dividing the East into Central (Ontario and Quebec) and Eastern (Atlantic Provinces) zones. This lasted three seasons and became permanent for 84-85. The new Central zone competed for the new Dudley Hewitt Cup while the Eastern zone competed for the new Callaghan Cup. Junior A (1980 to Present) In the Summer of 1980, the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League elected to break away from the branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and become only an affiliated member of the CAHA. The CMJHL, now the Canadian Hockey League, changed their name from "Tier I Junior A" or "Major Junior A" to "Major Junior". The "Tier II Junior A" teams mirrored this change by dropping "Tier II" and became just Junior A. In 1990, the western Junior A leagues in Canada would form the Canada West Association. This organization would be the catalyst for the creation of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League in 1993. In 2008, the league was rebranded the "Canadian Junior Hockey League". East Region Present West Region Present Starting in 2013, the champion from each of the four western leagues plus a host team play a 13-game tournament to crown a Western Canada Cup Champion. The winner and the runner-up will both represent Western Canada at the RBC Cup National Junior A Championship. 1970-12 Alberta plays British Columbia for the Doyle Cup. Manitoba plays Saskatchewan for the Anavet Cup. From 1971 to 1989, the two winners advanced to the Abbott Cup (Western Canadian Championship), with the winner going on to the Centennial Cup (Canadian Championship). After 1989 the two winners went directly to the RBC Cup tournament (1990-95 Centennial Cup) for the National Junior ‘A’ title. Central Region Present Currently, the winners of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League compete for the Dudley Hewitt Cup. The winner represents Central Canada at the RBC Cup National Junior A Championship. History The Central Region started for the 1978-79 season and for the first three years the winner went directly to the Centennial Cup. From 1982 to 1983, the winner advanced to the Eastern Canadian Final, with the winner going on to the Canadian Championship. The 84 Championship was for Eastern Canada, the winner going on to the Canadian Championship. After 1984, the winner goes directly to the RBC Cup tournament (1985-95 Centennial Cup) for the National Junior ‘A’ title. Category:Canadian Junior A Hockey League Category:Tiers